THE godfather of Italian cooking, Antonio Carluccio, who passed away earlier this month, at the age of 80, was a frequent visitor to Bramshott during the mushroom-foraging season.

Last year, he was guest of honour at the 15th Bramshott Open Gardens weekend, in June, which attracted more than 900 visitors, raising more than £14,000 for good causes.

While opening the event, he spoke about his love for the beautiful English countryside and its gardens, which are partly the reason, he said, why he decided to live in the UK for the last 40 years.

He was welcomed by retired town crier Terry Burns with a poem: ‘Antonio, Antonio, wherefore art Antonio? Fungi forager, chef supreme, welcome to our little green.’

Antonio was best known for his restaurant chain Carluccio’s, which he launched while married to his third wife, Priscilla Conran, sister of Sir Terence Conran, as well as TV shows including Antonio Carluccio’s Italian Feast, Two Greedy Italians, Quiet Bliss and Brave Men.

The author of 22 books, he catered for the likes of Prince Charles and Mick Jagger and taught Jamie Oliver how to cook pasta in his famous Neal Street Restaurant, in London’s Covent Garden, which he opened in 1981.

In a post on Instagram Jamie Oliver wrote last week: “He was my first London Boss at the Neal Street restaurant 25 years ago which was an institution and Mecca of wild mushrooms where I had the pleasure of working for him.

“He was such a charismatic charming don of all things Italian! Always hanging out the front door of the restaurant with a big fat cigar a glass of something splendid and his amazing fuzzy white hair.”

Antonio Carluccio was appointed commendatore by the Italian government in 1998 – the equivalent of a British knighthood, and received an OBE from the Queen, in 2007, for services to the catering industry.

In 2012, he received the AA Hospitality Lifetime Achievement award, given to people who have made significant contributions to their industry.

The Carluccio’s chain has continued to expand across the UK and today includes restaurants in more than 80 locations. Carluccio sold his interest in the chain in 2005 but maintained involvement from a distance.

He was one of six children, brought up in Italy’s north-west region. briefly worked as a journalist in Turin before moving to Vienna and then Germany.

He eventually moved to London to work as a wine merchant, before devoting himself to his passion for cooking.